


Routine

by Llama



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Prison
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-20
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-09 10:15:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1144778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama/pseuds/Llama
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jackson is settling into a routine. He's just not sure it's the right one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Routine

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Full Moon Ficlet as a flash fic. It is set in the same universe as [Pawn](http://fullmoon-ficlet.livejournal.com/165968.html) and is a prison AU with werewolves.
> 
> All you need to know is that Jackson has recently joined Derek as his cellmate after making a deal offering him sex for protection. At least that's what Jackson thinks is going on...

Jackson lucked out getting a job in the clean and air-conditioned prison library, he knows that. Every lunchtime when he's eating mystery meat stew with clean hands and a shirt not sweat-drenched from the workshop or laundry, he knows he's better off. 

But it's harder to remember why he should be grateful for it when the rest of his block clap each other on the back, when they laugh about some prank, or something they've seen while they're out digging, or whatever it is they do when they go out in the Hills bus each day with their shovels and picks. When they fall silent when Jackson approaches, because he's not one of them, not really. Or when Derek comes into the cell they share, and his eyes just slide over Jackson as if he isn't there, as if he's just part of the fading institutional gray background. 

Compared to Derek, wind-blown, glistening with sun and sweat, he might as well be. 

 

Derek has only spoken three words to Jackson since he came all over Jackson's chest that first night, and all of them have been 'No'. 

No, Derek didn't want another handjob.

No, Derek didn't want Jackson to blow him.

No, Derek didn't plan on saying anything but 'No'. It's somehow comforting to know the man who scares half of the inmates shitless can be just as childish as him sometimes.

But then, saying anything else might interfere with his routine, Jackson thinks sourly. Eight hours straight of physical labor aren't enough for Derek, oh no. He has to round off his day with a punishing regime of pull-ups that make Jackson's muscles ache just to watch him. 

More than that, it makes him wonder if he's made the wrong decision. If he's not being allowed to keep his side of their bargain, what guarantee does he have that Derek will keep his?

He can't afford to let things stay as they are, but it still takes him ten minutes to stand up. He strips off his own shirt and walks over to the pipes, where Derek is already settled into the swing of it; up and down, never missing a beat. 

The pipes are boiling hot when Jackson jumps up to grab hold of them, and it takes him everything he has to give it a second try, but Derek doesn't laugh at him, or even look his way. The only way Jackson knows he's even aware of him is when he settles into a rhythm of sorts and Derek slows to match him, stretch for stretch and breath for breath. 

Jackson's flagging badly when Derek finally stops, barely making it to his bunk before collapsing. He doesn't want Derek to see him like this, but for a change Derek is looking right at him, even when he's wiping his face with a towel.

It's not quite how he planned it, but it will have to do.

"I asked to transfer work details," he says, coughing when his voice comes out hoarse and dry. "I'll be with the rest of you guys from next week."

Derek's eyebrows furrow, as if Jackson is a puzzle he can't work out, and his eyes, dark from this distance in the fading light, bore into Jackson with an intensity Jackson has never seen from him before. If this is Derek reconsidering his 'No' stance on Jackson's offers, Jackson really hopes it's not a handjob he has in mind for tonight, because his hands are a mess. 

What Derek has in mind for him, it seems, is an old t-shirt. It's grayish, and a little worn, and it's far too big for Jackson to wear. What the hell?

"Is this some sort of... test?" Jackson asks, because asking Derek Hale if this is some kind of kink or initiation ritual is _not_ going to happen anywhere but inside his head.

"Tear it up," Derek says, swinging up onto the top bunk. The metal frame dips and sways with the movement, and the springs above Jackson's head creak as Derek settles down. "You can wrap it around your hands. It'll help with the hot pipes."

"Why would you--" _\--give anything to me?_ he doesn't say, in the end. "Do you have a knife?"

Derek's hand flashes down and takes the t-shirt, and when it drops back down a few moments later it's in several long strips, just the size to wrap around his hands. Jackson files away Derek's impressive knife skills, or shank skills, is that what they call them? It's probably a razor blade stuck on an old comb or something.

Jackson doesn't thank him, but Derek doesn't seem to care. 

 

On Monday morning Jackson walks down to the gates with the rest of the block. There's a subdued air over the men, some sideways glances at him, and a few at Derek. Derek is carefully not paying attention, just watching, waiting as the bus rumbles through the dust towards them. 

Jackson's the last to climb aboard, and when he's looking for a seat and Derek's most intimidating lieutenant looms up in front of him with a pick over his shoulder, he's not sure he's going to be getting off again. Boyd just hands him the pick, says gruffly, "Just try not to take anyone's eye out, rookie," and Jackson sinks into the closest empty seat.

Lunch that day is in the open air, there's grit in his mystery meat stew, his shirt is sticking to his back and he has aches in muscles playing lacrosse had never taught him existed. He's also learned four of his work party's names, won half a pack of cigarettes that he'll never smoke, and been slapped on the back twice by Crazy Isaac.

"You did well," Derek says that night, when the lights are out and Jackson's spitting into the sink. He's confused for a moment, because he's sure he caught Derek with his teeth at least once. 

Then Derek growls "Today, I mean," because he's a freak so of course they're not talking about the sex. Jackson still falls asleep with a smile on his face for the first time in weeks.


End file.
